A new report shared with President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team outlines a comprehensive strategy to counter the Iranian regime, calling for aggressive diplomatic, military, informational, and economic measures to curb Iran's destabilizing influence in the Middle East.
The recommendations come as the incoming Trump administration prepares to take office just days away from the start of President-elect Trump’s second term.
The report, titled "A 100 Day Plan for the Incoming Trump Administration on Iran", was compiled by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and highlights several key policy prescriptions aimed at putting pressure on the Iranian regime.
According to the report’s authors, Iran’s current position in the region represents a unique opportunity for the U.S. to take decisive action.
"President-elect Trump now has the unique opportunity to push back on the regime in a moment of its significant decline," said Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, CEO and founder of UANI, in an interview . "By using diplomatic, informational, military, and economic means to hold Tehran accountable, he can promote regional stability and a new Middle East."
The report asserts that the U.S. must adopt a whole-of-government approach, working with allies to apply pressure on Iran across multiple sectors. Jason Brodsky, policy director of UANI and co-author of the report, explained that Iran fears the incoming administration and believes there is an opportunity for Washington to capitalize on that fear.
He cautioned, however, against rushing into negotiations with Iran, emphasizing that such an approach could undermine the strategic advantage the U.S. currently holds.
The document recommends that the incoming administration take a tough stance on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The UANI authors suggest that President-elect Trump deliver a major policy address to warn Iran that the U.S. will not hesitate to use military force to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear weapons program.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported in December that Iran had reached weapons-grade uranium levels, with French President Emmanuel Macron warning that Iran’s nuclear program was nearing the "point of no return."
In addition to focusing on nuclear threats, the report calls for targeted strikes against Iranian military and intelligence assets if Iran or its proxies harm U.S. citizens or engage in destabilizing activities.
The U.S. should also pursue targeted cyberattacks against Iran’s repressive apparatus if security forces violently suppress protests, similar to past crackdowns in 2009 and 2022.
Brodsky emphasized that U.S. inaction against Iran’s regime has only emboldened Tehran. "That dynamic only emboldens Iranian decision-making," he said, "and the incoming Trump administration should reverse that calculus by holding Iran responsible for its terrorism and destabilizing actions."
Another critical aspect of the report is Iran’s continued revenue from oil exports. Claire Jungman, co-author and chief of staff of UANI, noted that Iran’s oil exports have surged to nearly 2 million barrels per day, the highest in five years.
This increase is attributed to weakened sanctions enforcement and the unfreezing of billions of dollars in assets.
The report recommends that the Trump administration prioritize halting Tehran’s illicit revenue streams, which fund the regime’s proxy networks and regional terrorism.
Iran remains the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing significant financial support to groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The U.S. Department of State estimates that Iran funds Hamas with approximately $100 million annually and Hezbollah with about $700 million.
These groups continue to pose significant threats to regional stability, with Hamas directly responsible for the deadly October 7 attacks on Israel.
The UANI report cautions against the approach of endless negotiations with Iran, which it views as a tactic for Tehran to buy time and evade pressure. Wallace stressed that the maximum pressure campaign, which was previously effective under the Trump administration, should be re-applied as the Iranian regime faces increasing setbacks, including its entanglement in the conflict with Israel.
The recommendations outlined in the report suggest that the incoming administration has a rare opportunity to assert U.S. influence in the region and weaken the Iranian regime at a time of its vulnerability.
As President-elect Trump prepares to take office, the global community will be watching closely to see how his administration handles this critical foreign policy issue.